Dead Ahead: The Final Road
by The Ghost without Romance
Summary: Just a short story about the IOS game Dead Ahead. If you haven't played it, its a great game. (Another endless runner.) I won't say much more about it. This isn't an advertisement. Its just a short thing I felt like writing. Read it if interested, and please leave a review.


**Dead Ahead: The Final Road**

This was a living nightmare. Ever since I left that pizzeria back at the edge of the forest, they had only grown in numbers. It was unbelievable how fast they were. I glanced down at the speedometer, it read 50 mph. And they were still managing to keep up. I weaved my way past a couple of stopped cars and more of "them", hitting one by accident. Its head spun through the air before hitting the ground as the rest of it became a bloody mess. I chanced a glance behind me, they were catching up. I hit the accelerator, and put a small distance between me and them. I weaved around a few more cars and ramped up and over an old police barricade. I was satisfied by the _splats_ that followed as they ran into the obstacles I had avoided. It was short lived as more quickly filled the hole the former left behind. I glanced at my companion. She was reloading my antique rifle; as soon as she finished she handed it back. I took it gratefully and fired a quick shot behind me, taking down two of freaks that had gotten too close. I accelerated again, increasing my speed up to 60; I didn't want to go any faster than necessary, too many cars on the road. I felt a thump and looked to my right. One of them had gotten stuck on the front of the sidecar and was not letting go. I hit it with the back of my rifle a few times, but the bastard was still holding on. I flipped the gun around at shot it in the face. It fell off and down under the sidecar. This time I glanced at the trip meter: 8,237 meters and rising fast. I had reset it when we reached the suburbs on the opposite end of the forest. Looking back again, I fired the remaining three shells I had into the horde behind me. I gave the rifle back to my companion and she quickly started reloading it.

"This doesn't bother you at all?" I asked her, raising my voice so it could be heard above the wind whistling by.

"No! Why would be chased by the throws of death down a clutter road at unsafe speeds bother me?" She asked. "Or did you mean having to reload your gun every time you have to cap these things?"

"The latter!" I answered.

"Nooooooooo, it doesn't bother me at all! Not like you could do it!"

This was true, as it would be next to impossible to reload a shotgun on a motorcycle going 60 down a cluttered roadway. I had only managed to do so a few times before, but it was more time consuming. After about a quarter of a minute, she handed the weapon back to me. Not the fastest in the world, but I didn't blame her. My driving didn't exactly make it easy for her, either.

**Metropolis; 10,834 meters**

These things would not quit. They were bound and determined, the noise from my bike only attracting more of them. We were running low on shells, and I had to be at least doing 60 or else they would catch us. II heard a roar behind us; One of the bosses showed his face. I turned and fired as many shells as I could at him, some only glancing him and being rendered useless. With next to no ammunition left, I heard it give a final moan of death as it collapsed, crushed a couple of the others. I dodged a van and a couple of freaks standing in the road. The screaming masses behind me were so fixated on us that they didn't bother to avoid the impending collision. Their unnatural lives come to a swift end. I jumped an old pickup; landing next to one of the more "well-fed" freaks. I shot it, causing it to burst like a balloon and killing the freaks next to it in a ring of blood.

"Where is your friend at?" She asked me, rubbing the blood off her visor. "I thought he was supposed to pick us up by now? We need a breather."

"I don't know." I responded, narrowly avoiding an overturned bus. "He's late."

Suddenly, an 18-wheeler could be heard roaring behind us, I veered out of the way as it smashed through the vehicles and other obstacles in the way. It moved in front of us, and the large trailer on the back began to lower its door. It slammed onto the ground, throwing up sparks as the metal grinded against the asphalt. I hit the accelerator; drove up the ramp and went inside. It was more of a mobile garage than an 18-wheeler, expanded upon for more space. I thought it was a miracle the thing held together with the abuse it went through.

Safe now, I turned the bike off and shakily got off. The effects of adrenaline slowly wearing off as I removed my helmet. I walked around and helped my companion climb out. The owner of the truck came to us with a warm welcome.

"Hey, you wonderful sonofabitch!" I greeted good-heartedly. "How've you been?"

"I've been great. Helped a couple of strangers. They were very generous with their thanks."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry, comrade. I'll pay you like I said I would."

"Nonsense, I'm glad to help out an old friend."

"No, I insist. Trading is a fierce business nowadays, right? I have to offer equal payment."

"Well, alright. I'll get my men to work maintaining your vehicle, and have a couple of them show your friend to a place to rest while we chat."

"Great." I answered. "That alright with you?"

"Da." She responded. "I could use some sleep."

"Alright, then it's settled. C'mon, walk with me."

I followed him through the mobile garage; he led me over to a small collection of weapons.

"We've got a fine collection here." He said, gesturing to the guns on the wall. "…just a new shipment from our suppliers."

I took an assault rifle of the wall and examined it.

"Good, choice. It may have low damage, but it more than makes up for it with the high rate of fire and large clip size."

I ejected the magazine and checked it. It would hold quite a large amount of ammo. Wouldn't need to reload for a while.

"How is it with noise?"

"Noise?"

"Yes, noise. How loud is it?"

"Um, well… it uh…"

"How loud is it?" I repeated, raising my voice.

"It's quite loud." He said hesitantly. "It's an assault rifle, what'd you expect?"

"Good." I responded as I put it back on the wall.

I took the combat shotgun down and examined it.

"Pump-action, low fire rate, high damage, 12 shell capacity-"

"And loud." I interrupted.

I put it back on the wall.

"I suppose we should check the bikes now, yes?"

"Da, let's see them."

We walked a little further and were now facing a collection of motorcycles.

"Once again, yours are over there. These are the ones we have for sale."

There was a biker-style chopper, four-wheeler quad, and a nice tourist bike.

"Now, the chopper and the tourist bike don't have much space, so your companion might not have room."

"That's not going to matter." I handed him a bag of credits. "I'll take these two. This one will be going to my friend."

"Ah, very well. I suppose that concludes our business?"

"Da, I'd like to return to my companion, if you will."

"Sure thing." He paused, as if unsure about something. "Are you sure that you want to do this?"

"I'm certain. It's for the best." I said firmly. "Do not question me, comrade."

"How does she feel about this?"

"I have not told her." I said bluntly.

"You haven't told her?" He repeated.

"I told you, it's for the best."

"But to abandon her-"

"It is not abandonment!" I growled. "Don't give me that bullshit! You know it would be better for her to stay here! This is a f***ing tank! It safer here that out on the open road with me!"

"If you're that determined, then stay here as well, comrade. We could use your skills, you have fine aim."

"No. You saw how many of them were behind us. You would not get very far, even now is a struggle."

"Are you crazy? That's suicide. You can't be serious." He said in disbelief.

"I am. Tomorrow I'm leaving; I'll make as much noise as I can to draw them away from you. Try not to make any noise, the more I led away the better."

"How can you be considering this? You're just going to go out there and leave?"

"My mind is made up."

"sigh Fine. I won't stop you."

"Good, because you would not be able to anyway."

"I know that more than anyone." He said as I walked away. I grunted in amusement.

**Metropolis; 16,904 meters**

I knocked on the door.

"Come in." She said.

I opened the door and walked in. It was a small room, made as another addition to the trailer. The walls made from various scrap metal wended to the floor. With a simple doorframe bolted in place. It wasn't luxury, but it was better than the cramped sidecar. There were two beds, perpendicular to each other against the walls. She was sitting on the bed opposite from the door. I walked in and sat on the other one.

"So, did we get everything we need?" She asked.

"Yeah, I got it, don't worry. Some more transportation and some more 22 gauge shells. That reminds me, here." I tossed her a bag of credits.

"What's this for?" She asked, confused.

"No sense having one of us carry all our cash." I answered.

She opened the bag and checked the contents. Her eyes grew wide.

"This… this is a lot. It this all of…"

"No, I still have plenty of it." I lied, that was all of it. I would not be needing it.

"So what's the plan?"

"We'll leave tomorrow, about noon, head out and try to find more supplies." I told her.

"Again? But we have so many supplies already." She pointed out.

"I know, but we're always going to need more." I lied again. We had plenty of supplies, enough for a year if rationed properly. I had already discussed it with H; all supplies would be hers and hers alone. Along with the tourist bike, my arsenal of weapons, and all the credits I had saved. She would have all she needed after I'm gone. I had a small moment of doubt, but I shook it away. This was the safest thing for her. I trusted H, he would take care of her. This truck would keep her safe from 'them', even the big ones.

"Well, if that's it then I'm going to sleep."

"Alright, goodnight." I told her. I could only hope that she would not be too mad at me in the morning. I would only hurt her this once. The one break in my promise, but it would be the worst. I can only pray for her to move on.

I stayed up a couple more hours, finalizing exactly what I was about to do. I looked at her. She had already fallen asleep. As determined as I was, there was still doubt. This would be the most reckless thing I had done, and it would be the last.

I stroked her cheek and adjusted her blanket. Lying back onto my bed, I drifted off into a restless sleep.

**Bridge; 10,756 meters**

I woke up at about nine. I glanced over, she was still asleep. I got up, got dressed and left the room. H was waiting for me outside the room.

"Is everything ready?" I asked, making my way to the recently purchased chopper.

As I walked by my sidecar bike, I discreetly dropped my crumbled paper onto the seat.

"Yes, everything is prepared."

I gave him the remaining credits I had left and took the assault rifle from the wall. Then I went over and took my grenade launcher as well. I put both over on my back and put my antique rifle in the holster on my leg. As the workers rolled the chopper towards the closed door. I turned to H.

"I have one more favor, comrade."

"What is it?"

"Make sure she doesn't see it when it happens."

"I promise." He answered assuredly. I knew he would keep his word.

"Thank you, comrade."

I climbed onto the bike as the workers lowered the door. I could already hear the moans of 'them', drowning out the sound of the rain. I steadied myself as I waited for the moment. The truck slowed down as much as it could as it drove past a split in the path.

"Now!"

I hit the accelerator as hard as I could and zoomed out the back of the trailer. I revved the engine as loud as I could as I drove down the other train track, hoping to lead the freaks away from the truck. It worked as all of them altered course, intent on devouring the easier prey. I pulled the assault rifle off my back and fired it towards the swarm. They fell, one by one, trampled by their fellows without notice. I fired until it clicked, and began reloading. They were slowly gaining on me, hours of endless running leaving them with more drive than ever for a meal. I finished reloading and fired on them again.

A loud shriek came from behind me and I veered left, scraping against a car as a Banshee ran by. Another shriek sounded and I veered right. Unintentionally driving up a ramp and landing on a van, denting the roof as I continued onward. Swerving around more vehicles I fired the rest of my magazine into the horde. Weapon now completely spent, I discarded it on the road and pulled my grenade launcher from my back.

I heard a loud groan and looked back. One of the big ones, the Super Boss, had appeared, trampling the other freaks in its path as it charged toward me. It dark skin, red eyes and large mass made it intimidating, but it wound not stop me here, H needed more time. I drove past more cars, the Super Boss jumping over them. It was easily 20 feet tall. Only a cursed reject of nature could be that big. I fired grenade launcher directly at it, ejected the spent shell, reloaded and fired again. Eight grenades later, it fell, smashing the others around it. I now had to discard my grenade launcher as it too, had nothing left in reserve.

**Bridge; 15,679 meters**

80 mph or else it would be the end. I had lured almost every freak within a 5 kilometer radius. They only landscape behind me was 'them'. I hit the accelerator again. I could feel the moans of them as they sprinted behind me. To look back now would leave me face-to-face with one, if I wasn't forced over the handle bars first. I accelerated again, obstacles whizzing by me in a blur. Blood constantly being thrown up in front of me from the freaks I ran over. There was no avoiding them, the speeds were too great.

Then I saw it. A roadblock of overturned cars and barricades, the ramp ahead my only hope of escape. I hit the accelerator once more, going as fast as possible, I'd need it if I had any hope.

I went up the ramp and was airborne, my front tire hit the top of an overturned van, and then everything was a blur.

I spun around and hit the concrete. I was thrown from the bike as I bounced and slid along the ground, finally coming to a stop almost 100 meters away. I lay on the ground, barely conscious as I tried to get up. Everywhere screamed in agony, as I slowly got to my knees. How I was still alive I didn't know. I couldn't move my left shoulder, leaving my whole arm useless. I was certain it was broken. The visor of my helmet was cracked and my head hurt like crazy. With my good arm, I tried to remove my helmet, but couldn't find the strength to do so. I gave up and turned around behind me. My bike lay on the ground, totaled and unusable. The masses of freaks, slowed by the hundreds of fellows that had run into the roadblock, were very slowly climbing the road block. The slowest I had ever seen them. I grinned, blood dripping from my lip.

This was it. I waited until they were about twenty meters away, in a daze, before I realized how close they were and started stumbling backwards, never breaking eye contact, keeping them the same distance from me, keeping that same grin. I slowly pulled my antique rifle out of its holster, and fired once. My arm screamed, my grin slightly twisted in pain, and I nearly dropped the rifle, but I fired, painfully, again and again. _Click. _I fired again. _Click._

_Click._

_Click._

_Click._

It was empty.

I dropped the weapon. My back had reached the railing of the bridge. They edged closer. There was nothing but gray water below me, reflecting the equally gray sky. The crept even closer. I took one look back, and then fell back over the edge, falling arms wide to the waters below. I watched as they stumbled over the railing, following me in there blind instincts.

I splashed into the cold water.

The grin never left my face.


End file.
